Karakas MTG Card
1994-06-01 - Number 303
2009-09-07 - Number 208
2010-11-08 - Number B32
2011-01-02 - Number 2020A
2016-06-10 - Number 240
2018-12-07 - Number 244
2023-06-23 - Number 367
2023-06-23 - Number 397
2023-06-23 - Number 397z
2002-06-24 - Number 43592
| Card sets | Released in 10 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Legendary Land |
Text of card
oc T: Add o W to your mana pool oc T: Return target legend to owner's hand; enchantments on target legend are destroyed.
"To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,/ One clover, and a bee,/ And revery." —Emily Dickinson
Cards like Karakas
Karakas stands out in Magic the Gathering as a potent land with a unique ability to return a legendary creature to its owner’s hand. As a comparison, we look at other notable lands like Eiganjo Castle, which also offers some protection to legendary creatures by preventing damage. However, Karakas does more than shield; it provides a reset button for these powerful entities, potentially disrupting opponent strategies.
Another parallel can be drawn with Minamo, School at Water’s Edge. While Minamo doesn’t bounce creatures back, it does provide an untap ability for a legendary permanent which could include creatures or lands, showing versatility in different game scenarios. On the note of utility, Kor Haven is another land card with a similar strategic defensive role, capable of negating damage from an attacking creature, much like Eiganjo Castle, but lacking the direct control over the board Karakas offers.
To sum it up, while other lands offer significant benefits and can certainly boast their own situational advantages, Karakas maintains its own unique position for its clever ability to interact with legendary creatures, shaping the ebb and flow of the gameplay substantially.
Cards similar to Karakas by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Karakas. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Selesnya Depths | Legacy | Selesnya Depths | Legacy League 2024-04-30 |
 | Orzhov Stoneblade | Legacy | Orzhov Stoneblade | Legacy League 2024-05-02 |
 | Naya Tempo | Vintage | Blue Tempo | Vintage Challenge 32 2024-05-02 |
 | Turbo Vault | Vintage | Turbo Vault | Vintage Challenge 32 2024-05-02 |
 | Mono-White Initiative | Vintage | Mono-White Initiative | Vintage Preliminary 2024-04-30 |
| Prison Shops | Vintage | Prison Shops | Vintage Challenge 32 2024-05-02 |
| Naya Depths | Legacy | Selesnya Depths | Legacy League 2024-05-02 |
| Lands | Legacy | Lands | Legacy Challenge 32 2024-05-01 |
| Maverick | Legacy | Maverick | Legacy League 2024-04-30 |
| Boros Initiative | Legacy | Boros Initiative | Legacy Preliminary 2024-05-01 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Karakas itself doesn’t directly allow you to draw additional cards, it contributes to a kind of “tempo advantage.” This is essential in MTG as it can effectively nullify your opponent’s turn by bouncing their legendary creatures back to their hands. Karakas’s ability to leverage the board state without costing a card from your hand can shift the game in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: Karakas is an efficient land that taps for white mana, which is crucial for maintaining mana consistency and supports casting powerful spells sooner. Additionally, its legendary bounce ability can be used to save one of your legendary creatures from removal, effectively preserving your resources.
Instant Speed: The power to activate Karakas at instant speed cannot be overstated. It allows you to wait until the most opportune moment during your opponent’s turn to return a legendary creature to their hand. This can disrupt your opponent’s strategy, wasting their mana and allowing you to untap with a clear advantage. The flexibility of instant speed activations for Karakas makes it a highly strategic and responsive card in any MTG game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Karakas has no direct discard requirement itself, it can indirectly force discards if used to bounce creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects that make the player discard upon re-entry. This can be a setback for the user if not strategically planned.
Specific Mana Cost: The activation cost of Karakas is purely colorless, which makes it versatile in any deck. However, its inclusion in a deck requires careful consideration of deck slots that could otherwise support more colorful mana bases or utility lands.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Karakas doesn’t have a mana cost to play initially, repeatedly using its ability does require a consistent investment of mana each turn. This can compete with a player’s available resources for other spells and actions, making it less favorable in fast-paced or highly aggressive formats.
Reasons to Include Karakas in Your Collection
Versatility: Karakas isn’t constrained to a single archetype, making it a versatile inclusion in many deck builds. Its ability to bounce legendary creatures can be utilized in both offensive and defensive strategies, protecting your own legendaries or disrupting your opponent’s plays.
Combo Potential: This card provides unique combo opportunities by pairing with cards that have enter-the-battlefield effects or with legendary creatures that have powerful activated abilities. The potential to re-use these effects every turn can lead to powerful and game-changing combos.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where legendary creatures are prevalent, Karakas shines by offering an answer that can be repeatedly used. It ensures that your deck can hold its ground against decks that are heavy on high-impact legendaries, maintaining its relevance across various competitive formats.
How to beat
Karakas is a legendary land card in Magic: The Gathering, revered for its ability to return legendary creatures to their owner’s hand. This can be particularly frustrating for opponents relying on legendary creatures for their strategy. The key to countering Karakas’s disruptive power lies in diversifying your threats. Instead of leaning heavily on legendary creatures, consider an assortment of non-legendary threats that remain unaffected by Karakas’s ability.
Another effective strategy entails deploying your creatures at a pace that Karakas cannot keep up with, essentially overloading the card’s ability by presenting multiple threats in succession. Additionally, direct answers like Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin can target and destroy Karakas, thereby neutralizing its influence on the game. Utilizing enchantment-based removal can also circumvent Karakas, as it usually does not interact with non-creature permanents.
Ultimately, though Karakas presents a formidable barrier, a well-rounded deck and strategic play can overcome its legendary creature bouncing ability, keeping your game plan intact and your creatures on the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Karakas MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Magic Online Promos, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Karakas and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Karakas Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by 4 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-06-01 | Legends | LEG | 303 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Nicola Leonard | |
| 2 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 43592 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Drew Baker | ||
| 3 | 2009-09-07 | Masters Edition III | ME3 | 208 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Nicola Leonard | |
| 4 | 2010-11-08 | Magic Online Theme Decks | TD0 | B32 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Nicola Leonard | |
| 5 | 2011-01-02 | Legacy Championship | OLGC | 2020A | 2015 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | |
| 6 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 240 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Drew Baker | |
| 7 | 2018-12-07 | Ultimate Masters | UMA | 244 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Drew Baker | |
| 8 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 367 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Stephen Stark | |
| 9 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 397 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Stephen Stark | |
| 10 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 397z | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Stephen Stark |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Karakas has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Banned |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Banned |
| Predh | Banned |